Child vehicle safety seat

ABSTRACT

A car seat has a support base configured to test on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed. The car seat also has a seat shell coupled to the support base that defines a seating surface of the car seat. The seating surface has a seat bottom portion that terminates at a front end of the seat shell. The seat shell is adjustable to a plurality of selectable seat recline orientations relative to the support base. A recline lever is mounted under the seat shell and is movable between a latch position and a release position. A handle on one end of the recline lever is positioned below and projects forward of the front end of the seat shell. The handle is movable upward to move the recline lever to the release position. A shroud projects forward from the front end of the seat shell and is positioned above and spaced from the handle. A top side of the shroud is positioned to act as a fixed bearing surface for grasping and moving the handle upward toward the shroud.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This patent claims the priority benefit of prior filed U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. Nos. 60/676,288, which was filed on May 2, 2005, and60/676,938, which was filed on May 3, 2005, the entire contents of whichare each incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure is generally directed to vehicle safety seats forchildren, and more particularly to a car seat with a storage receptaclefor the car seat's instruction manual, an attachment between astationary support base and a reclineable seat shell, a safety strapretainer and belt path arrangement, and/or a user friendly recline griparrangement.

2. Description of Related Art

Safety seat assemblies or car seats are known in the art for use inseating children in vehicles. Nearly all car seats come with aninstruction manual that explains how to install the product, secure itin the vehicle, and operate it once installed. Many, but not all, of theknown car seats provide a means to retain the manual on some part of thestructure. When stored on the seat, it is preferred that the manual bestored in a place that does not result in the manual becoming ejectedduring a crash. As a result, in most instances the location for storingthe instruction manual is positioned on the car seat in a place that isnot accessible to the user after the car seat has been installed. Forexample, many car seats provide a storage location on the back side ofthe seat or its support base. These types of seats often employ a hookor a shut-off to create an attachment location for a tethered, flexible,plastic sleeve or pocket containing the manual.

The instruction manual in these types of seats can only be put back inplace for proper storage while the seat is not installed. This producesa couple of different problems, each occurring because the ownertypically reads or should read the manual while installing the car seatin their vehicle. In one instance, the manual might not be put back inplace for proper storage after the product is installed, resulting inthe manual becoming lost or misplaced. Alternatively, the owner willeither read the manual and then properly store it, but only beforeinstalling the seat assembly, or will install the care seat, uninstallit, put the manual in its proper place, and then reinstall the car seat.This can result in the car seat not being properly installed orreinstalled because the manual could not be referenced during actualproduct installation.

In another example, a few manufacturers provide a thin film plasticsheet or pocket on a bottom part of the seat assembly that is somewhataccessible after the car seat is installed. Thus, an owner can read theinstructions while installing the seat assembly in their vehicle andthen properly store the manual. After installation, the manual can thenbe inserted and stored in the pocket or under the plastic sheet.However, the instruction manual can be very difficult to remove once itis within a thin plastic pocket or sandwiched between a thin plasticsheet and a surface of the car seat. Also, the plastic film pocket orsheet are typically pretty flimsy and can easily become damaged and tornover time and after several uses. This can result in the manual fallingout of the storage receptacle and becoming lost, or in the storagereceptacle no longer being of use for storing the manual.

Many types of car seats for toddlers are now required to have a separatesafety belt strap or belt known in the art as Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children or LATCH belts. Such LATCH belts, if required, must beprovided on the car seat and must be attached to seat anchors in thevehicle. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) hasissued a number of motor vehicle standards including Federal MotorVehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 225 defining the requirements for suchLATCH belts. The LATCH belt must be “permanently” attached to the carseat structure within the meaning of FMVSS 225. In other words, theLATCH belt must remain attached to the seat either without the use of atool to remove it or upon application of a force less than 45 lbs.applied to the attachment point.

A typical LATCH belt is thus either affixed at a mid-point by aChristmas tree-type fastener directly to the seat structure, or iscouple to a tether that is affixed to the seat structure. The firstarrangement results in two separately adjustable belt parts extendingfrom the attachment point. The second arrangement results in a LATCHbelt loosely tethered to the car seat but not held in place in itsproper belt path on the structure. For the direct attachmentarrangement, in order to meet the government standard, these types ofbelts have an adjustment buckle or device on each of the belt parts inorder to permit adjusting both ends of the LATCH belt. A user must thenproperly adjust each belt part separately when installing the product.Additionally, a seat manufacturer must provide and assemble two discretelength adjusters on the LATCH belt. For the tethered attachmentarrangement, the user must properly position the LATCH belt on the seatproduct before installation.

Car seats are also known to have a seat part that can be adjustablyreclined between different selectable recline angles. Most of thesetypes of car seats employ a seat support base and a separate shell thatdefines the seat back and seat bottom seating surfaces for the occupant.The seat angle, i.e., seat recline angle, between the shell and supportbase in such a car seat can be adjusted by moving the shell relative tothe base. In a typical adjustable car seat, the upper part of the basehas laterally opposed slots that are oriented generally vertically. Theupper seat back of the shell typically has a horizontal metal bar or rodcarried on its back side and that is received through these slots. Asthe seat shell recline is adjusted, the rod remains captured in theslots but is free to slide up and down to permit seat shell movement.Some cars seats might employ a reverse construction putting the rod onthe support base and the slots on the back of the seat shell. In anycase, the ends of the rod are typically cosmetically capped or closedoff within plastic material to loosely hold the rod in position. Duringa relatively high crash pulse, the rod can bend causing the rod ends toretreat or slip out of the part of the seat in which they are retainedor to separate from their plastic end caps. This can result inseparation between the seat shell and the support base. This typicalconstruction meets existing NHTSA standards set forth in FMVSS 213.

Most car seats for toddlers employ a reclining feature of some type sothat the child can rest more comfortably for sitting or sleeping in thevehicle. The recline feature functions in combination with the seat'sharness system, when properly adjusted, to safely hold the child in theseat at all permissible recline angles. A typical car seat with the seatreclining feature has a recline lever near or below a front edge of theseat. The lever has a handle that is depressed or gripped to release ordetach a latch mechanism. The parent must typically depress the handleof the lever and then slide the seat to the desired angle while holdingthe lever, in the depressed position until reaching the desired seatangle.

A number of problems exist with the typical reclining car seat. First,the lever is typically beneath the front edge so that the occupantcannot accidentally kick it and release the latch mechanism. Second, thelever is biased to the latched position with a fairly hearty spring orother biasing element. The user must firmly grasp and then hold thehandle of the lever in the depressed position. This alone is generallynot easy to do because of the biasing force and the position of thehandle. Second, the weight of the seat and the child, along with thesmooth, hard surface of the conventional plastic lever handle, combineto require a substantial force to keep the lever in the depressedposition. The smooth handle does not typically provide much in the formof gripping characteristics. Thus, a parent must apply a significanthand force to keep the lever firmly depressed and within their graspwhile adjusting the seat recline. A parent often is seated in the frontseat of the vehicle while trying to adjust the seat recline angle, whichcan make the task even more difficult. Some manufacturers have tried toovercome this deficiency by adding a plastic ledge or rib to the leversin order to add “bite” into a parent's fingers. This solution is notcomfortable for the parent, as the grip improvement is achieved by therib digging into the parent's skin.

Most car seats for toddlers have a harness system as part of the seat.The harness system tension is adjustable to safely and properly secure atoddler in the seat. Most of these types of car seats are adjusted bypulling on a tension strap that extends from a front edge part of theseat between the child's legs. The strap is part of the harness systemand is typically fed through an A-lock tensioning device. This type ofharness adjustment system is, common in toddler seats and is alsooffered on many products with reclining seats as described above. Aproblem sometimes occurs when the parent grabs the recline lever handle.The parent often will put their thumb or palm directly on the forwardedge of the seat to gain leverage for depressing and holding the handlewhile adjusting the seat angle. The point at which their thumb or palmfalls is often directly on the button or actuator of the A-locktensioning device that in turn releases the tension strap of theharness. Inadvertent actuation of the A-lock can result in the harnessbecoming loosened and improperly fitted to the child, and can easily gounnoticed by the parent.

Whether the tensioner or A-lock position is a problem or not, the frontedge of the car seat simply does not offer an ergonomically suited,leverage-enhancing resting place for the parent's thumb or palm whenadjusting the seat recline. A typical seat construction has a smoothradius, gradually rounded front edge so that a child occupant's legswill be comfortable when extending over the front edge of the seat. Thissurface profile does not provide an adequately placed, ergonomic,leverage-enhancing surface for a parent's thumb or palm. If the A-lockfor the harness system is present, the most comfortable and/or leverageenhancing position for the parent's thumb is often against some part ofthe A-lock or its surrounding structure. Even this location and surfaceis typically not adequately placed to provide a comfortable handposition while adjusting the seat shell recline angle. However, thetension in the harness can be inadvertently affected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with thedrawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front and top perspective view of a vehicle safety seatassembly or car seat constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear and bottom perspective view of the car seat shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of only the support base of the car seat asshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of only the seat shell of the carseat as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a bottom pan portion of thesupport base shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the bottom pan portion of thesupport base shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom and front perspective view of a top section of thesupport base shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a bottom and rear perspective view of the top section of thesupport base shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross section taken along line IX-IX of the car seat asshown in FIG. 1 and illustrates features of an instruction manual slotand recline handle constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a representative vehicle seat witha plurality of LATCH belt anchor points.

FIG. 11 is a close up view of one of the vehicle anchor points shown inFIG. 10 and with a LATCH belt connector coupled to the anchor.

FIG. 12 is a partially exploded view of the support base and a LATCHbelt retainer of the car seat as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a rear view of the LATCH belt retainer shown in FIG. 12.

FIGS. 14-17 show perspective views of other alternative examples of aLATCH belt retainer arrangement constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an end view of the LATCH belt retainer arrangement shown inFIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of yet another example of a LATCH beltretainer arrangement constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the car seat shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 21 is a side view showing only the seat shell portions of the carseat as shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a rear and bottom perspective view of the seat shell portionsof the car seat and as shown in FIG. 21 and showing one example of aseat back rod and its mechanical engagement device securing the rod topart of the car seat structure.

FIGS. 23A-23H show several different examples of alternative mechanicalengagement devices for securing the rod of FIG. 22 to part of the carseat structure.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a harness and a user actuating therecline feature of the car seat shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of only the recline lever of the car seatshown in FIGS. 21 and 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosed examples of a children's vehicle safety seat assembly orcar seat, and features for such a car'seat, solve or improve upon one ormore of the above-noted and other problems and deficiencies with priorart car seat products. The disclosed car seat features include an easilyaccessible instruction manual slot provided as a part of the product'sstructure. The disclosed car seat also includes a LATCH belt retainerarrangement which insures that the product's LATCH belt stays attachedto the car seat structure, which has only a single length adjustingdevice, and which assists in assuring the LATCH belt is properly routedor threaded along the car seat when in use. The disclosed car seat alsoincludes a recline bar attaching the seat shell to the support base thatis secured to the seat structure in a manner that improves crashintegrity of the attachment. The disclosed car seat also has a seatrecline lever and handle construction that is easy to grasp and depresswhile providing a comfortable, easy to grip handle. The disclosedrecline handle construction also has a dedicated surface for a user'sthumb or palm while operating the recline lever that both inhibitsinadvertently actuating the seat harness tensioning device and creates aleverage surface to assist in operating the recline lever.

As used herein, the term “car seat” is intended to mean a safety seatstructure that is generally configured to be placed on a dedicated seatof a vehicle such as a car, truck, minivan, station wagon, or otherpassenger-type vehicle. The car seat then provides a seat adapted tosafely fit and securely hold a child in the vehicle. The short-hand term“car seat” is used herein merely for ease of description and repetition.

Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 generally show a children'svehicle safety seat assembly or car seat 30 constructed in accordancewith the teachings of the present invention. The seat assembly 30 inthis example generally has a seat structure that in part defines aseating surface and in part is configured to rest on and be secured to aseat of a vehicle. In the disclosed example, the seat structure has asupport base 32 and a seat shell 34 supported on the base. The disclosedcar seat shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 employs a number of different aspects ofthe present invention. Each of these aspects is described separatelybelow. As will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art, thevarious aspects can be independently employed in a car seat productinstead of each being employed in one car seat as disclosed herein.Furthermore, a car seat product that utilizes one or more of thedisclosed aspects of the invention can also differ in construction andconfiguration from the car seat example shown and described herein andyet fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The support base 32 in this example is shown in FIG. 3 and generally hasbottom section 36 and a back section 38. The bottom and back sections36, 38 are configured to generally follow the contour and orientation ofa seat bottom and a seat back, respectively, of a vehicle's dedicatedseat. The seat shell 34 in this example is shown in FIG. 4 and generallydefines a seat bottom 40 and a seat back 42. The seat bottom 40 has agenerally upward facing seat bottom surface 44 and the seat back 42 hasa generally forward facing seat back surface 46. These surfaces togetherform a seating surface of the car seat on which a seat occupant wouldrest. Though not shown herein, a seat cushion or pad and/or a fabricseat cover typically is attached to the seat shell and covers theseating surface of the shell for aesthetics and, more importantly,additional comfort for the seat occupant.

In this example, the seat shell 34 has a pair of upstanding wallspositioned along the side edges of the seating surface. The walls eachinclude an upper barrier wall 48 and a lower barrier wall 50. Thesewalls 48 and 50 assist to confine and retain an occupant within theconfines of the car seat. An energy absorbing foam liner 52 ispositioned to cover part an upper region of the seat back 42 and tocover inner surfaces of the upper barrier walls 48. The foam liner 52 isa structure that in this example is formed from Expanded Poly Styrene orEPS and matches the contour of the shell. The foam pad 52 can beutilized and attached to the shell for the user's head comfort. Aninstruction manual 54 for the car seat 30 is generically depicted inFIG. 1 as well.

In one aspect of the present invention shown generally in FIG. 1, thedisclosed car seat 30 has an instruction manual slot 60 configured tohouse and store the owner's manual or instruction manual 54 for theproduct. In this example, the slot 60 is provided within an interiorpart of the support base 32 and stores the instruction manual lying flator in a horizontal orientation. The slot 60 is accessible even when thecar seat 30 is properly installed and secured for use on a dedicatedseat in a vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5-8, the disclosed supportbase 32 is formed of two primary components including a bottom pan 62and a top piece 64. In this example, the top piece 64 defines parts ofboth the bottom and back sections 36, 38 of the base 32. The bottom pan62 is coupled to and closes off the underside of the bottom section 36part of the top piece 64. The slot 60 is a pocket or compartment formedbetween the pan 62 and the underside of the top piece 64.

In this example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bottom pan 62 is a moldedplastic pan with a bottom panel 66 and an upstanding perimeter wall 68surrounding the bottom panel. A front end 70 of the bottom pan 62 has acut-out region 72 in the perimeter wall 68 the perimeter wall terminatesat a top edge 74. A plurality of ribs 76 project and extend verticallyupward from the bottom panel 62 and extend in a longitudinal directionalong the base pan 62. In this example, a substantial portion of thelength of each rib 76 terminates at an upper end 77. The upper edges ofthis portion are all of a consistent matching height.

Most of the ribs 76 in this example include an upward projecting fin orstop 78 positioned toward a back end of the ribs. The stops 78 have aheight that terminates at a higher elevation than the elevation of therib upper ends 77 forward of the stops. A curved wall 80 is rearwardlyconcave, projects upward from the bottom panel 66, and is positionedcontacting forward edges of the ribs 76. Thus, in this example, the ribs76 terminate at a different forward position defined by their contactpoint with the curved wall. A finger recess or well 82 is defined abovethe bottom panel 66, forward of the curved wall 80, and rearward of thecut-out region 72 in the perimeter wall 68 in this example.

The top piece 64 of the support base 32 is depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8.The top piece 64 has a lower panel 90 that defines the underside of thetop piece. A perimeter wall 92 projects downward from a perimeter edgeof the lower panel 90. A front side 94 of the perimeter wall 92 has aset back region 96 recessed rearward and downward relative to theadjacent lower panel and perimeter wall surfaces. The set back region 96has an upward facing front ledge 98 located at a lower elevation thanthe lower panel 90. The set back region 96 also has a forward facingfront wall 100 that is set back from the location of the perimeter wall92. A slot access opening 102 is provided in the front wall 100. Anesting portion 106 of the perimeter wall 92 and the set back region 96,including the ledge 98, projects downward further than a lower edge 104of the remainder of the perimeter wall 92. When the bottom pan 62 andthe top piece 64 are assembled, the nesting portion 106 seats within thecut-out region 72 of the bottom perimeter wall 68. The lower edge 104 ofthe top piece perimeter wall 92 abuts with the upper edge 74 of theupstanding perimeter wall 66 of the bottom pan 62. The slot accessopening 102 in the front wall 104 of the set back region 96 is thuspositioned facing the ribs 76 and the finger recess 82 within aninterior space between the assembled bottom pan and top piece.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a pair of opposed and spaced apart boundarywalls 110 depend or project downward from the lower panel 90 of the topsection 64. A plurality of downward projecting ribs 112 extend from thelower panel 90 and are positioned between the boundary walls 110. Boththe boundary walls 110 and the ribs 112 are oriented parallel to theribs 76 of the bottom pan 62 in this example. The boundary walls 110project downward sufficient to interleave with the upstanding ribs 76 ofthe bottom pan 62. Similarly, the upstanding fins or stops 78 projectupward sufficient to interleave with the plurality of ribs 112.

In this example, the downward extending ribs 112 terminate at loweredges 114 and are varied or tapered in height. The ribs 112 becometaller moving rearward toward the stops 78. When the bottom pan 62 andtop section 64 are assembled, a compartment or pocket is formed withinthe two components. The height of the ribs 76 and the ribs 112 are suchthat a gap between their respective terminus edges 77 and 114,respectively, is created. The gap height gradually decreases movingrearward toward the stops 78 as the height of the ribs 112 increases.The disclosed pocket or slot 60 is configured to capture an instructionmanual therein. Front edges 116 of the stops 78 define a back wall ofthe compartment. The spaced apart boundary walls 110 define the sideboundaries of the compartment. The top edges 77 of the upstanding ribs76 forward of the front edges 116 of the stops 78 define a bottomsurface of the compartment or slot 60. The bottom edges 114 of thedownward projecting ribs 112 define a top or ceiling of the compartment.

The height or spacing of the compartment or slot 60 between the bottomedges 114 of the ribs 112 and the top edges 77 of the ribs 76 should besufficient to easily and adequately receive an instruction manualprovided with the car seat 30. The narrower height toward the rear ofthe slot or compartment 60 near the stops 78 can be designed to snugglycapture part of the instruction manual between the opposed rib edges 77and 114 to assist in retaining the manual 54 within the slot until it isintended to be removed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the slot access opening 102 has a complexcontoured configuration. The opening 102 has a pair of laterally andoppositely extending narrow slits 120. The height of the slits 120 isfairly small but should be sufficient to permit a thickness of theinstruction manual 54 to pass through the opening 102. A central region122 of the access opening 102 is positioned between the slits 120 andhas a much larger height than that of the slits. The top wall 100 curvesrearward and the central region 122 extends slightly into the curvedpart of the wall. The size, shape, and top curvature of the centralregion 122 permits clearance sufficient to fit a user's fingers into theslot 60 to retrieve or replace the instruction manual 54. The verticalelevation of the slits 120 is above or higher than that of the top edges77 of the ribs 76. This creates a lip or barrier below at least theslits 120 of the access opening 102 in the front wall 100 of thecompartment above the elevation of the rib top edges 77. The width ofthe opening across the slits 120 is wide enough to slip the manualthrough the access opening 102. The width of the opening across only thelarger central region 122 is smaller than a width of the manual. Toremove the manual, it must be raised and then slid through the slits120.

As a result of the slot 60 and access opening 102 construction disclosedherein, an instruction manual 54 resting on the ribs 76 within thecompartment or slot 60 will not horizontally align with the slot regions120. If a vehicle were to stop suddenly, the instruction manual 54stored within the slot 60 would be prevented or inhibited by the lip orbarrier from ejecting from the slot through the access opening 102. Thefinger recess 82 is positioned behind the front wall 100 surrounding theaccess opening 102. The size and depth of the recess 82 and the size ofthe central region 122 of the access opening 102 combine to permit auser to easily place their hand within the slot 60 to retrieve themanual 54. Their fingers can reach under the instruction manual 54 intothe finger recess 82 to easily grasp and lift the instruction manual,align it with the slits 120, and withdraw it forward out of theinstruction manual slot 60.

The disclosed instruction manual slot 60 also is readily visible andapparent to the user. The set back region 96 can assist in drawing theattention of the user to the slot 60. The size of the central region ofthe access opening can easily reveal to the user the contents of thecompartment. Thus, the location and the purpose of the slot 60 will beeasily located and easily utilized by a user. They are thus more likelyto properly store the manual 54 with the car seat each time it isinstalled or removed from a vehicle. While providing ready access andvisual inspection within the slot 60, the construction of the slot orcompartment and the shape of the access opening 102 also render the slotsufficiently robust to properly contain the instruction manual during acrash.

The disclosed example of a readily apparent and easily accessibleinstruction manual slot or compartment 60 is but one of many possibleexamples. As will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art,a readily accessible storage compartment can be provided having a numberof configurations and constructions and yet fall within the spirit andscope of the present invention. Variations can include an instructionmanual receptacle that can be separately molded and snapped or otherwisefastened to a part of the seat assembly. A large opening could beprovided in a front portion of the seat assembly and a separateinstruction manual receptacle could be received through the opening andpopped or fastened into place. In another example, the instructionmanual slot can be provided solely as a part of a single support basecomponent instead of being formed sandwiched between two components asdisclosed herein. In yet another example, the instruction manual slotcan be provided as a part of the seat shell 34.

In a further example, the instruction manual slot need not be positionedat the front and center portion of the car seat assembly 30 as disclosedherein. Instead, the instruction manual slot could be provided on acorner or on one of the sides of the car seat and yet remain readilyaccessible. In yet other examples, the instruction manual can be storedin a receptacle or tray in the car seat structure that could be openedor closed by sliding, flipping, or pivoting movement relative to a partof the car seat 30. The surfaces of the compartment need not be formedof ribs or from two different pieces of the car seat. The surfaces couldbe smooth continuous surfaces and could be formed in one piece or bythree or more combined pieces of the seat structure.

The manual could be held in place within the slot using other methods aswell. In one example, a plurality of resilient fingers or other biasingelements could be molded into or attached onto a wall of the compartmentto press the manual against a surface of the compartment. A door orresilient barrier could be added at the access opening to assist inretaining the manual within the compartment. However, one benefit of thedisclosed slot 60 is that it is manufactured solely as part of other carseat components and does not require any piece dedicated to storing theinstruction manual 54.

In another aspect of the present invention, a safety LATCH beltretention method and belt path guide are disclosed herein. Governmentregulations, such as FMVSS 225, require many vehicle safety seats forchildren to be anchored by a LATCH belt to anchor points within thevehicle. The LATCH belt must be “permanently” attached to the car seatwithin the meaning of the standard and yet must be adjustable for use indifferent vehicle configurations. The car seat 30 disclosed hereinemploys one of several possible examples of a LATCH belt retainingmethod that permits easy adjustment, can reduce part cost, and canassist in proper threading or routing of the belt if a consumer shouldbe required to reattach the LATCH belt.

FIG. 10 shows a typical newer model vehicle seat 130 with car seat loweranchor points 132 provided between the seat back and the seat bottom.Government standards now require vehicle manufacturers to include suchanchor points. Government standards also require a variety of differentcar seats for children to include a LATCH belt 134 to securely hold thecar seat in the vehicle seat 130 by attachment to the lower anchorpoints 132. As shown in FIG. 2, the car seat 30 disclosed hereinincorporates such a LATCH belt 134 that, in accordance with FMVSS 225,is considered to be “permanently” attached to the seat structure. TheLATCH belt 134 includes a strap portion 136 with a pair of opposed ends138. A connector or clip 140 is provided on each end. In the disclosedexample, the strap 136 requires only a single adjustor 142 and yet canpermit adjustment at both ends 138, i.e., over the entire length of thestrap 136. This saves part cost and installation complexity incomparison to prior art latching systems. However, two adjusters couldoptionally be employed, if desired. The prior known LATCH belt systemsthat employ direct-to-seat structure attachment require adjustment ateach end. The prior known systems that employ a tethered attachment canpermit belt length adjustment with only one adjuster, but do not provideany belt path or routing indication or assistance for the user. Asdescribed below, the disclosed Latch belt arrangements do provide beltpath or routing assistance.

FIG. 12 shows an exploded front perspective view of the support base 32.The support base includes a separately attached guide or retainer 150that attaches to a lower front surface 152 of the back section 38 of thesupport base. The front surface 152 of the back section 38 has arecessed region 154 near the lower end. The retainer 150 is configuredto be received over and closely cover the recessed region 154. In thedisclosed example, a plurality of guide tabs 156 project outward invertically adjacent pairs from the recess region 154. Each tab 156 has acantilevered lip 158 that extends toward the opposite lip of the othertab 156 in each pair. The lips 158 are configured to overlie and looselyretain the LATCH belt 134 between the pairs of tabs. The tabs 156 act asa LATCH belt guide and define a threaded path for installing the LATCHbelt 134. No part of the LATCH belt is secured directly to the frontsurface 152 of the support base within the recessed region 154 and thusthe LATCH belt is free to slide relative to the support base along itslength. The tabs 156 laterally capture the LATCH belt to properly locatethe belt on the support base 32 and can assist in holding the belt inplace until the retainer is installed.

The retainer 150 is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 and in this example isconstructed to securely snap onto the front surface 152 over therecessed region 154 in this example. A plurality of receptacles oropenings 160 are provided within the recess region 154. A rear side ofthe retainer 150 includes a plurality of attachment prongs orprojections 162 that extend rearward from the retainer. Each of theprongs or retainers includes a catch 164 that extends laterally from theprong. Each catch 162 is intended to underlie a surface of the base 32adjacent the openings 160 once installed. The prongs or projections 162in this example are designed to flex to permtit installation of theretainer and are resilient to spring back allowing the catch to securelyhold the retainer 150 in position.

In the disclosed example, the retainer 150 is designed so that it liesspaced a small distance from the front surface 152 within the recessedregion 154. The gap or spacing permits the LATCH belt 134 to freelyslide longitudinally though captured between the retainer and therecessed region. The spacing in this example is accomplished by thelength of the prongs 162, the positioning of the catches 164, thethickness of the material at the openings or receptacles 160, and theheight of the tabs 156. A rear side 166 of the retainer 150 also has aplurality of ribs 168 to add strength and rigidity to the part, but thatcan also have a height to assist in defining the spacing. One or more ofthese components can each be designed to cooperate and create a desiredgap or spacing. The gap between the retainer 150 and the recessed regionis small enough in this example so that the ends 138 of the strap 136,including the clips 140 and adjustor 142, cannot fit between theretainer and the recessed region. Thus, these components will preventthe LATCH belt 134 from being pulled completely from between theretainer and the support base, as is intended by the federal standard.The components will also assure that the LATCH belt is properlypositioned. In the disclosed example, the retainer 150 can be providedin a different color, such as bright red, to alert a user to itspurpose, which can be to alert a user of the proper LATCH belt path.

The intent of the federal standard is to prevent the LATCH belt fromeasily being removed from the product and to thus highly encourage auser of the product to employ the LATCH belt when installing the childsafety seat in a vehicle. In the disclosed example, the LATCH belt isprovided with only a single attachment location and, thus, the retainerneed not necessarily be intended to be removed and replaced by aconsumer. However, the red color of the retainer can still be used todraw the attention of the consumer or user of the product to helpencourage the user to utilize the LATCH belt feature for safetypurposes.

The LATCH belt retention and path functions can be achieved using otherconfigurations and constructions from that shown in FIGS. 10-13.Variations in the way that the retainer is attached to and fastened tothe support base can also be used within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. Other retainer configurations can also be employed.

For example, FIG. 14 shows a retainer in the form of a small closed loop170 of material with a plurality of projecting prongs 172. The LATCHbelt 134 could be manufactured with the loop 170 as part of the beltstructure. The loop is sized so that the strap can feely travel throughthe loop, but so that he clips and adjustor cannot pass through theloop. Thus, the loop 170 is a permanent part of the LATCH belt in thisexample. The prongs 172 would attach the loop 170 to the surface 152 ofthe support base 32 in the same manner that the retainer 150 of theprior example is attached.

FIG. 15 shows another example that employs a slot 180 defined by abridge 182 integrally molded in the surface 152 of the support base 32.In this example, the LATCH belt 134 would be sub-assembled whilethreaded through the slot 180 under the bridge 182. Once completed, theLATCH belt 134 could not be removed from the base 32. The slot is sizedso that the connectors and the adjustor cannot pass through the slot. Inthis example, the LATCH belt 134 could not be moved to another locationon the seat structure.

FIG. 16 shows another example that is similar to the retainer 150, butthat does not provide an elongate channel across the support base forthe belt path. In this example, a narrow width, vertically orientedretainer band 190 has a pair of prongs 192 on its opposite ends. Theretainer is C-shaped and creates a narrow space between it and thesurface 52 of the support base 32. The prongs 192 snap into openings 160in the base, as in the prior example of the retainer 150. The LATCH beltis captured between the ends of the band 190 and the band and thesurface 152 of the seat structure. Again, the space between the band 190and the seats structure surface 152 prevents the connectors of the letchbelt from slipping through the space.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate a minor variation of the example shown inFIG. 16. In this example, the retainer band 190 is positioned over avertically oriented groove 196 in the surface 152. As shown in FIG. 18,the LATCH belt 134 would be rerouted into the groove, which could beresult in some sliding resistance of the belt over its length, ifdesired, when installed. In this example, the retainer band 190 lies atleast partly below a level of the surface 152 in order to require thestrap 136 to be rerouted. The prongs 192 snap into prong openings 194within the groove 196 in this example.

FIG. 19 shows yet another example of a retainer and belt path indicatorarrangement. In this example, the belt path indicator 200 is positionedon the surface 152 of the support base 32 beneath the LATCH belt 134. Inthis example, a finger 202 extends upward and over the retainer 200creating a gap between the two parts. The LATCH belt 134 is receivedbetween the two parts. The finger 202 can have an end 204 integrallyformed as part of the retainer 200 and a free end 206. The free end canbe provided with a catch or connector to affix the free end to theretainer when the belt is properly installed. Though not show, thefinger can extend vertically upward or downward into a storagereceptacle. The extended finger could then form a track along which thebelt could slide laterally to be entirely stored in the receptacle ofthe support base when not in use.

Various other belt path indicator and belt retainer configurations andconstructions can also be employed and yet fall within the spirit andscope of the present invention. The above described examples areprovided merely as representative examples.

In another aspect of the present invention, the car seat 30 employs arecline feature. In the disclosed example, the seat recline or angle ofincline for the seat shell 34 can be adjusted relative to the supportbase 32. FIG. 20 shows a representative adjustment range for the seatshell from a fully downward and forward position shown in solid lines toa fully raised and rearward position shown in dashed lines. FIG. 21 is aside view of just the seat shell 34 and its corresponding components andFIG. 22 is a bottom perspective view of the seat shell 34. As previouslydiscussed, FIG. 3 is a top and front perspective view of just thesupport base 32 and it s various components. Both the support base 32and the seat shell 34 in this example include some of the componentsthat cooperate with one another to provide the recline feature.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 20-22, the seat recline feature is accomplishedby a number of components. An upper side 230 of the support base 32 hasa sunken region 232 central located and longitudinally oriented in thebase. The sunken region has a top surface 234 facing upward and a pairof laterally opposed sidewalls 235. An adjustment plate 236 is mountedto each of the sidewalls 235 in this example. Each adjustment plateincludes a slide track 238 with a plurality of adjustment notches 240. Arecline lever 242 has a transversely arranged pivot shaft 244. The pivotshaft 244 is pivotally received through a pair of laterally spaced shaftbores formed in respective mounts 246 that extend downward from theunderside of the seat shell 34. The exposed ends 247 of the pivot shaft244 are journaled within a pair of bearings 248 positioned on therespective outside surfaces of the mounts 246 and permit the reclinelever 242 to pivotally move about the pivot shaft. The pivot shaft 244is axially confined between the spacing of the walls 235, positionedclose to the shaft ends 247 within the sunken region.

A handle 250 is formed and configured on the forward end of the reclinelever 244. A rear end of the recline lever 242 on the opposite side ofthe pivot shaft 244 includes a recline latch bar 252 arranged parallelto the pivot shaft. As shown in FIG. 22, the ends 256 of the latch bar252 extend beyond the extremities of the recline lever, throughvertically slotted openings 254 in the respective mounts 246, andoutward beyond the mounts. The latch bar 252 is also axially confinedbetween the spacing of the walls 235, again positioned close to the ends256 within the sunken region. Though not shown herein, the forward endof the recline lever 242 is resiliently biased in a direction so thatthe handle 250 is biased downward and the latch bar 252 is biased upwardas shown in FIGS. 20-22. The biasing element can be a spring or othersuitable structure. In the assembled car seat 30, the latch bar ends 256are captured within the slide tracks 238 and can be aligned with anyselected pair of the notches 240 in the plates 236. This is accomplishedsimply by drawing the handle 250 upward to release the ends of the latchbar 252 from notches in which they currently reside. The seat can thenbe slid in the desired direction to the desired seat angle. The handle250 can be released and the ends 252 of the latch bar will be biasedupward into the notches 240 with which they are now aligned.

In order to permit seat angle adjustment but retain connection at theupper end of the car seat 30 between the seat back 42 of the seat shell34 and the back section 38 of the support base 32, a movable connectionbetween the two components is necessary. In the disclosed example, arecline rod 260 is horizontally oriented and mounted to a back side ofthe seat back 42. Opposed ends 262 of the rod 260 are received throughand extend beyond corresponding rod openings formed in projections ormounts 263 extending from the seat back structure. In order to achieveadjustment, the recline rod 260 is captured within a pair of elongateslots 264 as shown in FIG. 3 in the front side of the back section 38 onthe support base 32. The slots 264 are generally vertically oriented andpermit confined movement of the rod 260 along their length. The rod 260is free to move along the height of the slots but is retained within theparameters of the slots 264 as is known in the art.

In the disclosed example, the connection of the recline rod 260 to theseat back 42 is a fixed mechanical connection in order to prevent theends 262 from retreating through the respective openings orthrough-bores 265 in the mounts 263 of the seat back if the rod is bentduring a crash. In the disclosed example, each end 262 of the rod 260 isthreaded and retained beyond the exterior of its respective through-borein the seat back by a conventional or other type of threaded nut 266.The nut can be preceded by a washer 268 if desired. Additionally, thenut can be a lock-type nut and/or incorporate a lock-type washer. Thedisclosed construction exceeds current requirements for crash safetystandards.

The construction of the seat back 42 of the shell can be configured withformations in the plastic material in order to further enhance thestrength of the portions of the seat back that retain the rod 260 andits ends 262. In the disclosed example, in the event of a crash, theseat shell 34 would be drawn forward relative to the support base 32,which might cause the recline rod 260 to bend rearward. In aconventional seat construction, the ends of the retainer bar are simplycosmetically covered by a plastic cap or merely cosmetically covered bymolded plastic such as in a blind bore formation on the seat back. Inthe disclosed example, the ends 262 of the rod 260 are prevented fromretreating back through their mounting openings or through-bores 265 inthe seat back 42.

Other mechanical rod retention devices and arrangements can also beutilized, other than the disclosed threaded nut and washer construction.The intention is for the mechanical retainer to be robust and be of asize so that is at least in part larger than a diameter of thethrough-bores 265. FIGS. 23A-23H disclosed some alternative examples,and each depicts a generic mount 263 and through-bore 265 on one or theother of the back of the seat shell or front of the support base backsection. FIG. 23A shows a rod end 270 with a groove 272 and a C-clip 274received in the groove to mechanically retain the rod end. FIG. 23Bshows a rod end 276 with a cotter pin 278 received through an opening279 across or through the rod end 276 to mechanically retain the rod.FIG. 23C shows a rod end 280 mechanically retained by a washer 282 and acotter pin 284 inserted into an opening 285 through the rod end. FIG.23D shows a rod end 286 with a pinched, enlarged diameter portion 287 tomechanically retain the rod. FIG. 23E shows a rod end 288 with a bend290 to mechanically retain the rod. FIG. 23F shows a rod end 292 with aspun or swaged, enlarged diameter tip 294 to mechanically retain therod. FIG. 23G shows a rod end 296 with a VALCO button 298 tomechanically retain the rod. FIG. 23H shows a threaded rod end 262 of arod 260 with a blind “acorn” nut 266 threaded to the end to mechanicallyretain the rod.

In each of the disclosed examples, the rod end has a feature that islarger than the rod diameter and larger than a diameter of thethrough-bore 265. The purpose is to prevent the rod end from easilyfitting and retreating back through its bore in the seat back in theevent of a relatively high pulse crash. Failure of the mechanicalretention means, the rod, the seat back, or the material defining therod bore in the seat back would have to occur in order for the seatshell to separate from the back section of the support base in each ofthe disclosed examples. Other methods to prevent the rod from bendingand separating during a crash can include either using a stiffer and/orusing a larger diameter recline rod stock material. Each disclosedexample will likely offer differing results, but also offer differentcharacteristics of use. Some may be more or less costly than others,more or less effective than others, more or less difficult tomanufacture than others, and the like. Balancing the rod material, roddiameter, and mechanical attachment method, an optimal rod retentionarrangement can be achieved for each car seat application.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an occupant harness system 300installed on the car seat assembly 30 depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 24 alsoshows a user actuating the recline lever 242 and handle 250 to adjustthe recline angle of the seat as depicted in FIG. 20. According toadditional aspects of the present invention, the car seat 30 employsseveral features that render operating or actuating the recline lever242 more comfortable, easier, and safer for the occupant of the seat.

As is known in the art, a harness system tensioning device orlock-and-release actuator 302 is typically positioned at a forward edge304 of the seat bottom 40 of the seat shell 34. A tensioner strap 306extends from the tensioning mechanism 302. By actuating the tensioner,the strap 306 can be pulled or withdrawn to tighten or loosen theharness system 300 for the comfort and safety of a seat occupant. Asdiscussed above, a problem in the prior art is that when a user wishesto actuate a recline handle, the handle is typically positioned beneathand very near the tensioner mechanism. A user must rest either theirthumb or their palm against the forward edge 304 of the seat bottom 40in order to depress or pull up on the handle. By doing so, they oftencome in contact with the actuator button of the tensioner mechanism 30.This can result in the harness system 300 becoming inadvertently loosewithout the user realizing this has happened. As a result, theperformance of the safety seat could be reduced.

In the disclosed example, the recline lever 242 is an elongate moldeddevice as shown in FIG. 25. A handle end carries the handle 250, whichprojects forward a distance from the forward edge 304 of the seat bottom40. To accommodate the extra forward projection of the handle 250, anintegral plastic overhang such as a hood or shroud 308 is integrallymolded and extends or projects forward from the forward edge 304 of theseat bottom 40. The hood or shroud 308 is configured and positioned togenerally overlie the handle 250 in this example and to generally mimicthe overall shape of the handle of the recline lever 242. In thedisclosed example, as best depicted in FIG. 20, the handle 250 is spaceddownward from the hood 308 in the latched, downward biased position. Theoverhang or shroud 308 can be a separately attached piece if desired.

As the user actuates the recline lever 242, the handle 250 is drawnupward toward the hood or shroud 308. In this example, the shroud isupwardly hollow creating a space into which a part of the handle cannest when actuated. A top surface 310 of the shroud 308 can beconfigured and positioned above the handle 250 to act as a leveragepoint or contact surface for a user's thumb or palm. This surface 110 isseparate from the forward edge 304 of the seat bottom 40. By positioningboth the handle 250 and the hood or shroud 308 forward of the seat edge304, the user is much less inclined to place their palm or thumb on thetensioner device 302 when operating the handle. The top surface 310 thuswill encourage a user to not touch or contact any part of the tensionermechanism 302. When a user actuates the recline lever 242, the harnesssystem 300 will not be inadvertently loosened while adjusting therecline angle of the seat. Additionally, the position and orientation ofthe top surface 310 of the shroud 308 can be optimized to provide anergonomically suitable leverage point for actuation of the recline leverand handle without affecting the geometry of the seat. This will make iteasier and more comfortable for a user to grasp and move the handle 250in order to release the recline lever 242. This will also make it morecomfortable for the user to hold the recline lever in a releasedposition while readjusting the seat angle.

FIGS. 9 and 25 also illustrate in greater detail the handle 250. Theconstruction of the handle 250 in the disclosed example providesimproved ergonomics and comfort over prior known recline handles. Inthis example, the downward facing surfaces of the handle 250 all havesmooth contours and curves and have no exposed edges. Thus, the user'shand will not come in contact with any sharp edges or ridges whengrasping the handle 250 to operate the lever 242.

The handle surface is also covered by an exterior layer 312 ofelastomeric or other softer, more resilient material when compared tothe underlying plastic material of the lever 242 and handle 250. Theresilient nature of the cover layer an also improve grip by compressingslightly at the pressure points when grasped. Grip enhancement can alsobe achieved by the nature of the surface coefficient of friction for thegrip layer material selected. The material will most likely have a moretacky feel than the hard plastic, underlying lever and handle material.The material of the layer 312 will be more comfortable for a user tograsp. The layer 312 can be over-molded on all of the surfaces of thehandle 250 part of the lever 242, if desired.

As shown in the cross section of FIG. 26, the forward portion of thehandle has a bulbous or rounded downward facing portion 320. The bulbousportion 320 gradually and smoothly transitions into an upward extendingfinger recess 322 positioned behind the bulbous portion 320. All of thecurves and surfaces of the downward facing parts of the handle in thisexample are smoothly and gradually curved and provide no exposed edges.All of the exposed plastic edges of the lever and handle structure arefacing upward underneath the seat or the shroud 308. The elastomeric orother material layer 312 can be molded over or otherwise adhered to boththe bulbous portion 320 and the finger recess 322 to achieve a highlycomfortable and ergonomic grip surface on the handle 250. The disclosedlever and handle construction results in a recline handle that is easierto actuate, easier to grip, more comfortable to grip, and discourages auser from inadvertently or accidentally loosening the harness system 300of the seat.

The contours of the handle surfaces, both on the lateral sides and thebottom facing side are rounded and smoothly transition to other parts ofthe handle. This reduces or eliminates sharp concentration points orcontact points against a user's fingers or palm. The rounded contours ofthe handle surfaces also produce a relatively larger surface area thatwill be in contact with the user's hand during operation of the reclinemechanism. This further eliminates local concentration points.

The resilient layer 312 can be over-molded during manufacture so as tochemically and mechanically bond to the handle surfaces. Alternatively,the layer 312 can be a separately molded cap added to the handle afterits manufacture. Other suitable materials and manufacturing methods canalso be used. For example, a spray-on rubber coating can be applied tothe handle. A dip-coated layer could also be applied to the handle. Thematerial durometer, surface characteristics, resiliency, and softnesscan be selected and adjusted to achieve desired feel and surfacefriction characteristics.

Although certain car seat features and functions have been describedherein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, thescope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On thecontrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of thedisclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible equivalents.

1. A car seat comprising: a support base having a back section and a bottom section and configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed; a seat shell coupled to the support base and defining a seating surface with a seat back surface and a seat bottom surface that terminates at a front end of the seat shell, the seat shell being adjustable to a plurality of selectable seat recline orientations relative to the support base; and a recline lever mounted under the seat shell and movable between a latch position and a release position, a handle on one end of the recline lever near and below the front end of the seat shell and movable upward to move the recline lever to the release position, the handle having a front, sides, and a downward facing gripping surface, the gripping surface having a downwardly rounded part adjacent the front and an upward finger recess rearwardly adjacent the rounded part, wherein the front, sides, and gripping surface smoothly and gradually transition into one another.
 2. A car seat according to claim 1, wherein the gripping surface of the handle is covered with a layer of material that is softer than the underlying handle material.
 3. A car seat according to claim 1, wherein the layer is formed of a resilient elastomer material.
 4. A car seat according to claim 1, further comprising: a shroud projecting forward from the front end of the seat shell and positioned above and spaced from the handle, the shroud having a top surface positioned to provide a fixed resting surface for part of a user's hand when grasping and moving the handle upward toward the shroud.
 5. A car seat comprising: a support base configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed; a seat shell coupled to the support base and defining a seating surface having a seat bottom portion that terminates at a front end of the seat shell, the seat shell being adjustable to a plurality of selectable seat recline orientations relative to the support base; a recline lever mounted under the seat shell and movable between a latch position and a release position; a handle on one end of the recline lever and positioned below and projecting forward of the front end of the seat shell, the handle movable upward to move the recline lever to the release position; and a shroud projecting forward from the front end of the seat shell and positioned above and spaced from the handle, a top side of the shroud positioned to act as a fixed bearing surface for grasping and moving the handle upward toward the shroud.
 6. A car seat according to claim 5, wherein the shroud is formed integrally on the front end of seat shell.
 7. A car seat according to claim 5, further comprising: a safety harness on the seat shell; and a harness tensioning device positioned on a down slope on the seat bottom portion near the front end of the seat shell, the top side of the shroud space forward and downward of the tensioning device.
 8. A car seat according to claim 5, wherein the shroud has an upward hollow beneath the top side and receives at least a portion of the handle within the hollow when the handle is moved to the release position.
 9. A car seat according to claim 5, wherein the handle has a downward hollow and a bottom gripping surface, the gripping surface having a downwardly convex part adjacent the front and an upwardly concave finger recess positioned adjacent the convex part, wherein the front, sides, convex finger recess, and concave part smoothly and gradually transition into one another.
 10. A car seat according to claim 9, wherein the shroud has only downward facing edges and wherein the handle has only upward facing edges, each being configured so that a user's hand will not contact any of the upward or downward facing edges when operating the handle.
 11. A car seat according to claim 5, wherein a gripping surface of the handle is covered with a layer of material that is softer than the underlying handle material.
 12. A car seat according to claim 11, wherein the layer is formed of a resilient elastomer material. 